Amusement apparatus



Nov; f17, 1936.

D. c. RocKoLA 2,061,253

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 17, 1936. D. c. RocKoLA 2,061,253

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1955 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.ZocoZa 1:75 ATTORNEYS.

'NOV- 17, 1936- D. c. RocKoLA' AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1935I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wm wk wwf .d .u Mr w W Q3 k16 HIS ATTORNEYS:

Patented Nov. 17, 1936 UN'E'E STATES PPA'EENT FFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved amusementapparatus which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction andeiiicient in use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination freeplay device and ticket dispensing device for an amusement game apparatusof the so-called pin and marble game type.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide, in aso-called pin and marble game, a combination free play and ticketvending device by means of which the player may, at his election, eitherchoose to play a predetermined "1. number of free games which he mayhave to his credit or elect to have a ticket or tickets vended to himfrom the device and redeemable in merchandise or the like.

An additional object of the present invention is' to provide animprovement upon a certain feature of the free play or free game deviceshown and described in Patent No. 1,985,736 granted to William H. Bellahon December 25, 1934 on a game apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved devicefor moving the socalled 'ree game registering dial (32) of the gameapparatus shown and described in the above-identified Bellah patent incircumferential steps in a direction back toward its initial or Zeroposition.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will best be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a game apparatus embodying apreferred form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, on line 2-2 in Fig. l, showingcertain parts of the free play device and the operating lever for theticket vending device;

Fig. 3 is a sectional View, on line 3 3 in Fig. 1, showing certain partsof the ticket-vending de- Vice;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, showing certain parts Y of the ticketvending device;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of certain parts of the ticket webadvancing device embodied in the present invention;

Fig. 6 is an elevational View, similar to Fig. 5

. 1 but showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view on line 1-1 in Fig. 1, and showing apressure member adapted to bear against the ticket web;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view, on line 8-8 in Fig. l.

A fragment of the game apparatus shown and described in theabove-identified patent to William H. Bellah, No. 1,985,736 is shown inthe drawings, is therein generally indicated at I0, and comprises acabinet Il in which is arranged a. horizontal shaft I2, and carried by,and fixed to, the shaft I2, in the cabinet II, is a free gameregistering dial I3 which corresponds to the free game dial 32 in theabove-identified Bellah patent.

Likewise carried by the shaft I2, and fixed thereon, is a ratchet I4which corresponds t0 the ratchet 4I in the above-identified Bellahpatent.

In the Bellah patent above referred to, the free game registering dial(13 here, 32 in the patent) may be moved, in circumferential steps, in adirection back toward its initial or zero position, by the proprietor ofthe game apparatus, through the manipulation of a handle 80 which iscarried by the sha-ft 2l of the device of the patent, this handleprojecting eX- teriorly of the cabinet (the reference numerals abovegiven being those of the patent).

In order to move the free gameregistering dial I3 of the presentapparatus in circumferential steps, in a direction back toward itsinitial or Zero position, there is mounted on the shaft I2 a handle orarm I5, and the lower end portion I6 of this handle I5 projectsdownwardly below the bottom wall II of the cabinet II, through a slot I8which is formed in a plate or housing I9, the plate I9 being attached tothe bottom wall I7 of the cabinet on the upper side of the latter. Thishandle I5-I6 floats, that is, is loosely mounted on the shaft I2.

Likewise floating, that is, loosely mounted on the shaft I2 whichcarries the free game registering dial I3 is an arm 20 and pivotallyconnected to this arm 2U, as at 2|, is a pawl 22.

The pawl 22 has a lateral extension or pin 38 attached thereto (Fig. 2)and this pin 38 is engageable with a cam 39, the cam 39 being formed ona supporting frame 36 which is mounted in the cabinet I I; and the pawl22 has an angled end portion 4I which is engageable with the teeth ofthe ratchet I4.

A coil spring 23 has one end attached to the arm or lever I5 and thisspring 23 has its other end attached to a lateral extension 24 of thearm 20 (Fig. 2).

A coil spring 28 has one end attached to a pin 'I4 which projectslaterally from the arm 20 (Figs. 1 and 2) and the other end of thisspring 28 is xed in the cabinet I I.

The arm 2B has an upward extension 25 and this extension 29 isengageable with a lateral eX- tension or pin 3U which is carried by alatch member 3I, this latch member 3l being pivotally mounted in thecabinet II, as at 32, and having an angled end portion or arm 33 whichis engageable, in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter, withthe inner end portion of the coin slide 34, the coin slide 34 beingslidably mounted in the end Wall 35 of the cabinet II.

A coil spring 3l has one end mounted on the supporting frame 35, whichis arranged in the cabinet II, and this coil spring has its other endattached to the pawl 22 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

The lateral extension 24 of the arm 2i] normally engages a resilientcontact or circuit-closing device 4B, which is mounted in the cabinet II, so as normally to maintain the latter in closed circuit position.

'I'he present invention has, as one of its objects, as has been statedhereinbefore, to provide a novel ticket-dispensing or web-advancingdevice for dispensing a ticket or portion of an inscription-bearing webfrom the cabinet II to the player, if the player elects to receive sucha ticket or tickets, which may be redeemed for merchandise or the like,rather than to play a corresponding number of free games, which theplayer may have to his credit, upon the apparatus.

To this end there is provided in the end wall 35 of the cabinet I I aticket-dispensing outlet or slot 4I (Fig. 3) and adapted to be dispensedeXteriorly of the cabinet II, through this slot 4I, is the free endportion 42 of an inscription-receiving or inscription-bearing web 42.This web 42 is guided over a horizontal shelf I3 (Fig. 3) and isadvanced, in a step by step movement, by a webadvancing roll 54, thisroll 44 being provided with lugs 45 which engage in correspondingperforations 46 which are formed in the web 112. The web 42 likewiseworks around a guide roller lll and is guided across the bottom wall IIof the cabinet II (Fig. 3).

The web-advancing roll 44 is mounted on a horizontal shaft I8 (Figs. 3and 7) and likewise carried by this shaft I8 is a ratchet 49, carriedby, and projecting laterally from, the ratchet I9 are pins or lugs 50which are arranged at radial intervals around and relative to theratchet 59.

Engageable with the pins is a pawl 5I which is pivotally mounted, as at52, upon a slide bar 53, this slide bar 53 being slidably mounted upon avertical supporting wall 54 which is arranged in the cabinet II. Thisslide bar 53 has an angled or lateral extension S'I (Fig. 5) and thepawl 5I norm-ally rests upon this extension 81 of the slide bar 53,movement of the pawl 5I (clockwise, Fig. 5) being limited by a laterallyprojecting portion or arm 64 of the vertical Wall 54.

Pivotally connected to the slide bar 53, at one end of the latter, as at85, is a link 55, and this link 55 has a pin and slot connection 55-57with an extension 3l of the arm 2E? (Fig. 1).

Pivotally mounted at one end, as at 82, on the vertical supporting wall54, is a latch member 58 and mounted on this latch member 58 is a p-in59 which is engageable with a cam or beveled 7, edge portion 50 of thepawl 5I.

Provided in the peripheral edge of the ratchet 49 are notched or cut-outportions 5I and engageable in these notched or cut-out portions 5| is aroller 83 which is mounted upon one end portion of a latch dog 62 whichis pivotally mounted, as at 84, upon the vertical supporting wall 54.

The slide bar 53 is slidably mounted at one end (left hand end is seenin Fig. 4) upon the vertical supporting wall 54, by means of a pin andslot connection 63`I5, (Fig. 4) and at its other end (right hand end,Fig. 4) the slide bar 53 is slidably mounted upon the supporting wall 54by means of the extension S0 which projects through a slot 85 which isformed in the wall 54, and associated with the slide bar 53 is aconventional full stroke device 65-55 (Fig. 5).

Pivotally mounted on the inner side of the end wall 35 of the cabinet II(Fig. 1), between its ends, as at 57, (Fig. 7), is a pressure member 58which includes an end portion 53 which normally bears upon the ticketweb I2 (Fig. 7) Attached to the end portion 59 of the pressure member 58is a coil spring 'Ill which normally urges the pressure member 63 in adirection (clockwise, Fig. 7) to moVe the end portion 59 thereof out ofengagement with the ticket web 42, the end portion 69 of the member 63being moved into engagement with the web l2 by means of an arm or pin'II which is attached to the free game registering dial I3, this pin IIbeing engageable with an angled or offset end portion 'i2 of thepressure member 68.

Operation In the use of the present game apparatus the free gameregistering dial I3 may be rotated in,

circumferential steps in a direction away from its initial or zeroposition by the means shown in the above-identified Bellah patent, or inany other suitable manner, so as to indicate the number of free playswhich the player may have to his credit at any time, and in order tomove the free game registering dial I 3 in circumferential steps backtoward or into its initial or zero position (in a clockwise direction,as seen in Fig. 2) the proprietor of the present game apparatus mayreach under the bottom wall I'I of the cabinet Il and grasp the lowerend portion I 5 of the handle I5 and pull or pivot the same (from fulltodotted line position, (Figs. 2 and 3)).

This movement of the handle I 5-I5 (from full to dotted line position,(clockwise, Fig. 2), tensions the coil spring 23 and the latter, whenthus tensioned, acts to pivot the arm 2E! attached thereto, at I2 (in aclockwise direction, Fig. 2). During this movement of the arm 25 and thepawl 22 (from full to dotted line position, Fig. 2), the spring 3l actsupon the pawl 22 to pivot the same, at 2l, upon its supporting arm 20,(clockwise, Fig. 2), thereby moving the angled end portion 4I of thepawl 22 (Fig. 1) into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet I4 whichis fixed to the shaft I2, which carries the free game registering dialI3, whereupon this movement of the pawl 22, thus disposed in engagementwith the teeth of the ratchet I4, moves the ratchet I4, shaft I2, andthe free game registering dial i3 (in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2)thereby moving the free game registering dial I3 a predeterminedcircumferential distance or step (clockwise, Fig. 2) back toward itsinitial or Zero position and thus, in effect, subtracting one free gamefrom the total number of free games which the player may have to hiscredit, as indicated by suitable markings which may be inscribed on thefree game registering dial I3.

After the completion of its operative stroke,

lO'ment of the pin 33y over the cam 39 pivots the pawl 22 out of theengagement with the teeth of the ratchetV I4 so that the ratchet I4,shaft I2, and free'game dial I3 may be operated (in a counterclockwisedirection, Fig. 2), and in cir- "cumferential steps in a direction awayfrom its initial or zero position, by means of the appara- "Ytus'shownVand described in the above identified lBellah4 patent No. 1,985,736, soas to indicate the fj'number of free games the player may-have to E'hiscreditl at any time.

'AS the handle I5-I6 is moved (from full to dotted line position, Fig.2), to effect the operationY of moving the free game dial I3 a prede-"termined circumferential distance back toward its initial or Zeroposition, the upper end portion y29 of the arm I5-I6 engages thelaterally eX- ftending pin 30 which is carried by the pivotal flatchdogV 3|, and thereby pivots the latch dog "3l, at 32, (in acounterclockwise direction, Fig. '2). This movement of the dog 3I raisesthe angled end portion or arm 33 thereof up into a vpositionin front of,or in engagement with, the vinner endV portion of the coin slide 34,thereby "preventing fraudulent operation of the coin slide 34 'and theoperating mechanism 'IE-'IIi-TI etc. (Fig. 2) of the game apparatus,associated therejwith, during the voperation of moving the handley-IE-IE and associated parts, that is, during the operation of movingthe free game register- "40 ing dial I3 in circumferential steps backtoward or into its initial or zero position. Y

As the arm 2D is moved (clockwise, Fig. 2), by operation of the handleI5-I6, the angled end portion 24 thereof moves out of engagement l1145with the resilient contact or circuit closing member 40, 4whereupon themember 40 moves, by its arm resiliency, intoopen circuit position so asto open the electromagnetic operating circuit shown and described in theabove-identified 50 Bellah patent, this preventing fraudulent operationof the game apparatus during the operation of moving the free gameregistering dial resetting device I5-I6-20-22, etc.

In the event that the player of the game ap- 55 paratus which embodiesthe present invention elects to receive a ticket or tickets from themachine, rather than to play a number of free games, which he may haveto his credit, upon the apparatus, the proprietor of the machine 60 may,by manipulating the handle I5-I6, project the free end portion of theweb 42 (Fig. 3) out through the dispensing slot 4I and, it will benoted, that this movement of the handle or lever I5-I6 will not onlymove the free game registering clial I3 a predetermined circumferentialdistance back toward its initial or zero position (clockwise, Fig. 2)but will also dispense a predetermined length of the web 42 out throughthe dispensing slot 4I.

The foregoing movement of the handle I5-I6 (clockwise from full todotted line position, Fig. 2) acts through the extension 8| of the arm20 to move the pin 56 in the slot 51 (right to left, Figs. 3 and 5) andwhen the pin 56 reaches the end of the slot 51 it acts to move the link55 (iight to`y-left,lFigs. 3, 4, and 5) and this movement-'offl-the link55 (right to left, 3,4 and 5) acts upon thepinf80 to move the slide bar53 '(right to left, Figs. 4, 5 andf).

During Vthis movement of -the slide bar 53 (right to left, Figs. 4, 5and 6), the cam or beveled edge 60 of the pawl 5I which is carried bythe slide bar 53, engages the pin 59 and thereby pivots the dog `58 outof latching engagement with the corresponding notchedportionBI of theratchet'49; and /1'0 upon further movement of the slide bar 53 (right toleft, Figs.4, 5 and 6) the end edge 68 ofthe vpawl'l engages one of thelugs 5D inthe ratchet 49 and thereby rotates the latter a predeterfreeend portion of the ticket web 42 a predetermined circumferentialdistance out through the dispensing'slot 4 I, whereupon the player maytear or sever the free end portion of the ticket web 42 from the body ofthe same, and redeem the ticket or vtickets thus vended, in merchandiseor the like, from the proprietor of the machine.

It will be seen, therefore, the player may, at his election, either playupon the machine the number of .free games which he may have to hiscredit,

as indicated by the free gameregistering dial I3,

or at his election, receive an equivalent number of merchandise tickets,from the web 42, which may be dispensed to him through the dispensingslot 4 I, in the manner hereinbefore set forth, and it will be notedthat if the player elects to receive a ticket or tickets from the web42, rather than to Vplay upon the machine the number of free games hemay have to his credit, the operation of dispensing the ticket ortickets through the dispensing slot 4I, by manipulating the handle orlever I5-I6, also acts to subtract one game from the total number offree games which'the player may have to his credit, is indicated by thefree game registering dial I3, since each operation of the handle leverI5-I6 moves the free game registering dial I3 a correspondingcircumferential distance or step back toward its initial or zeroposition (clockwise, Fig. 2), as hereinbefore explained.

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 6 that when the slide bar 53 isretracted from full stroke position (as in full lines, Fig. 6) back intoits initial or normal position (as in dotted lines, Fig. 6) the pawl 5Iwill ride over the particular pin 50 on the ratchet 49 which is disposedin engagement with the lower edge of the pawl 5I and at the same timethe upper edge of the pawl 5I will bear against the lateral projection64 of the wall 54, so that the movement of the pawl 5I about its pivot52 is thus effectively guided between the parts 50 and 64 and theeffective movement of the pawl 5I and associated parts, including theratchet 49, shaft 48 and web-advancing roll 44 are thus limited. In thismanner fraudulent operation of the web-advancing roll 44, that is bypulling upon the web 42, is prevented.

However, as the parts are returned to their initial position (as in fulllines, Fig. 4) the latch 58 will drop by gravity back into the notchedportion mined circumferential distance (counterclocki15 6I of theratchet 49fand thus latch the ratchet 49 and associated parts againstoperation.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification, without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of suchvariations and modifications as come within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. An operating mechanism for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having a free game registering dial and a ticketdispensing device mounted therein, said operating mechanism vincludingmeans for moving the said free game registering dial in circumferentialsteps in a direction back toward its initial position, and meanscoacting with the said first-named means, when the latter is operated,for operating the said ticket dispensing device in a direction todispense a ticket from the said cabinet.

2. An operating mechanism for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having a free game registering dial and a ticketdispensing device mounted therein, said operating mechanism comprisingmeans, including a manually operable member projecting downwardly in thesaid cabinet so as to be accessible from the bottom of the latter, formoving the said free game registering dial in circumferential steps in adirection back toward its initial position, and means coacting with thesaid rst-named means, when the latter is operated, for operating thesaid ticket dispensing device in a direction to dispense a ticket fromthe said cabinet.

3. An operating mechanism for an amusement apparatus of the type whichincludes a cabinet having a free game registering dial and a ticketdispensing device mounted therein, said operating mechanism comprisingmeans, including a horizontally extending shaft arranged in the saidcabinet and having said dial fixedly mounted thereona manually operablemember pivotally mounted on said shaft for movement relative thereto andhaving a handle portion projecting downwardly in the said cabinet so asto be accessible from the bottom of the latter, for moving the said freegame registering dial in circumferential steps in a direction backtoward its initial position, and means coacting with the said rstnamedmeans, when the latter is operated, for operating the said ticketdispensing device in a direction to dispense a ticket from the saidcabinet.

4. In a game apparatus of the type having a free game control with anindicating drum and mechanism operable by playing of said game formoving said drum in steps from an initial position to indicate freeplays scored by the player, free play mechanism comprising: manual meansfor resetting said indicating drum to said initial position in steps,and a ticket issuing mechanism including a rotatable ticket feed havingdriving connection with said manual resetting means and operable to feedone ticket with each resetting stepy of said drum, but inoperable whenthe said indicating drum is advanced to indicating positions asaforesaid. n Y

5. In a game apparatus of the pin and marble type having a free playcontrol operable by the playing of said game apparatus to indicate thenumber of free plays scored by the player and to release said gameapparatus for a number of free plays corresponding to the numberindicated by said control means, free play ticket mechanism comprising:a rotatable free play indicating drum operable by playing of said gameapparatus and having means releasing said apparatus for a number of freeplays corresponding to the indication of said drum; manually operablemeans for resetting said drum from a free play indicating position to aninitial position; and ticketkissuing mechanism including a membermovable to issue tickets corresponding in number to the number of freegames indicated by said drum and having driving connection with saidmanual means for operating said movable member when the said drum isreset.

DAVID C. ROCKOLA.`

